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The largest gay pride parade in the world will celebrate its 23rd anniversary when the São Paulo LGBT Pride Parade takes over the city on Sunday, June 23, 2019.

The theme of the 2019 parade will be a commemoration of the 50 year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Past parades have attracted over 3 million people took to the streets of Sao Paulo, according to estimates.

In the days leading up to the parade, São Paulo (already one of the most gay-friendly cities in Latin America) explodes with gay activities. By day, “gayborhoods” like Frei Caneca and Largo do Arouche fill with couples. And by night, nightclubs like The Week are packed. We will update this page with a full schedule for the 2018 pride parade when it becomes available.

Getting There

For those searching for air/hotel packages, Expedia offers some of the lowest rates for package deals to São Paulo. Europeans, Americans, and visitors who are already in South America have a number of inexpensive options.

Hotels & Gay-Friendly Places to Stay

Pride Week 2019 Schedule

Film festivals, art exhibits, nightclub events, and even walks in the park! The weeks before the actual parade on Sunday, June 23rd will have something for everyone. Bookmark vamosgay.com/saopaulo for a full agenda as the parade date approaches.

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Saunas & Sex

Every sex club, cinema, and sauna will be very active for Pride Week. We’ve listed them all on one page. Dive in!

Rio de Janeiro is one of the best places in the world to ring in the New Year (or, as Brazilians call it Réveillon.) While the northern hemisphere is freezing, the beaches of Rio are warm … and the men are hot! This guide for 2019 is split into three sections: getting there, enjoying New Years Eve on Copacabana beach, and finding the best gay parties.

Getting There / Places to Stay

We recommend that you fly down in late December and spend a week discovering Rio de Janeiro. (Rates for the high season start on flights departing after December 27.) To book an international flight to Rio, the best websites are:

Copacabana Beach

Fabulous and free! The sands of Copacabana (and neighboring Ipanema) are the place to be this time of year. The New Year’s Eve tradition is to wear white and pay tribute to Iemanjá, the water goddess at the center of Brazil’s Candomblé religion. Every year, there is a massive party with live music that fills the sands of Copacabana Beach, however if you stay in Ipanema you will only be 20 to 30 minutes away by foot. The music starts between 8 and 9PM, and the fireworks begin at the stroke of midnight.

Parties, Parties, and More Parties!

Get every last drop out of 2018 before the year ends. Rio’s gay bars will be open and ready to party after Christmas Day.

Réveillon Rio Beat House 2019 – JW Marriott Copacabana

An exclusive event at the luxury JW Marriott offering the best experience before, during and after the spectacular firework show of Copacabana beach! DJs spinning electronica and house in the comfort of the safe place for our guests. Premium food buffet and open bar. Get tickets and more info online.

New Year Parties @ The Week

The winner of our Editor’s Choice for Best Nightclub, The Week, will get you ready for 2019 with five days of parties . Check out the itinerary below, and buy tickets online at x

Bookmark this page for your gay Rio New Years plans, or subscribe to our newsletter below.

This year, The Official Party of the 23rd LGBTI Pride of Rio de Janeiro will kick off on Saturday, September 29th. The night full of performances will continue into the sunrise, so keep your energy up for the official parade.

On Sunday, September 30 at 12 o’clock, the LGBTI Pride Parade will begin on Copacabana Beach and run through Avenida Atlantica. Before the parade, there is a political action scheduled for 9AM.

In 2019, Carnival will begin on Friday, Mar 1 and run through a wild extended weekend to Tuesday, March 6. The day after is Ash Wednesday when the parties are over (for the most part) and you will find the streets of Rio de Janeiro quietly getting back to normal. Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is considered the world’s largest, hosting approximately two million participants per day. In 2004, Rio’s carnival attracted a record 400,000 foreign visitors.

Day-By-Day Schedule to Carnival 2019

Hopefully, you can arrive before Carnival week (and stay after.) By January, Rio will be in full swing. Visit any of the gay bars and clubs on our list and you will find a good time. Click below the full calendar of events from Carnival 2018. It will give you an idea of what to expect in 2019.

Gay Block Parties? LGBT-Friendly Blocos

From the butch, to the femme, and everyone in between, Carnival in Rio offers the perfect excuse to show off your muscles or your glitter. Here’s our short list of the city’s most gay-friendly block parties, but you’ll find many of Rio’s blocos are fabulously welcoming.

Travel Tips

To keep this section short, our guide will assume you know how to navigate the dangers of big cities and foreign countries. Download digital version of Lonely Planet: Rio de Janeiro for the best English-language guide to the city, and a good source for basic travel tips.

Be careful who you bring back to your hotel – At some hotels, you can walk directly to your elevator, some may ask for ID from your guest(s) When in doubt, you can always go to one of Rio’s many gay saunas.

Wear shoes – Yes, your new Havaiana flip flops are cute, but the streets will be come a muddy mess of spilled beer and urine.

Don’t sweat every little expense – The club that wants to charge a cover of R$20 … That’s about US$6.50 right now.

Be OK with the fact you won’t see it all – Don’t overload your agenda. Make a note of what you would like to come back for in 2019.

Sign-up for Gay Carnival in Rio Newsletter

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This gay guide to Carnival in Rio will give you everything you need to plan your trip before you go, and all of the information you need during Carnival week. Bookmark vamosgay.com/carnival-rio on web and mobile!

Festive block parties, chic nightclub events, and over-the-top Samba parades … Carnival in Rio de Janeiro has a multitude of fun experiences for gay travelers. (And, you can heat things up even more with our listings of Rio de Janeiro’s gay saunas and sex clubs!) Here’s the full list of gay-friendly events for Carnival 2018! Leave your feedback for VamosGay via email, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

Bloco Toco Xona: Pre-Carnival
One of the the most popular blocos for girls-who-like-girls, Bloco Toco Xona welcomes gay boys too! This year, Toco Xona will celebrate their 10 year anniversary. Learn more from our guide to LGBT blocos.

Banda de Ipanema
One more pre-Carnival bloco which is sure to pack the streets around Ipanema beach. After the street party winds down, catch the sunset on the beach, have a shower, and try dinner at Felice.

Simpatia é Quase Amor
Get in the spirit with this pre-Carnival bloco from the free-spirited Simpatia e Quase Amor. Learn more about them from our guide to LGBT-friendly blocos. So far, this bloco has not provided a date and time for 2018, but we hope to have an update soon.

Bloco Fogo e Paixão
This bloco of “fire and passion” is very queer friendly … and a great place to warm-up your party muscles before Bloco da Preta. Event info, and video of a past Fogo e Paixao block party.

Banda de Ipanema
The first of three Carnival week blocos from the biggest GLS/LGBT-friendly banda in Rio. Catch them again on Monday and Tuesday. Learn more about Banda da Ipanema from our guide to GLS blocos.

Joy Party at Mansão Carioca
The party continues at the gorgeous mansion known as Mansao Carioca. Enjoy the line-up of DJs by the pool and check out the eye candy. Highly recommended!Event info & tickets

Bloco Bunytos de Corpo (TBD)
Jazzercize your way down to Praça Tiradentes for a bizarre (yet fun) gay-friendly bloco celebrating the fitness craze of the ’80s. (Note: Bunytos de Corpo has not officially announced anything for 2017, but they do enjoy surprises. We’ll update this listing ASAP.)

Banda das Quengas
What’s more fun than a slut-walk? A block party of whores! (That’s the literal translation of this bloco‘s name.) Your excuse to dress like a five dollar hooker and get drunk in the streets has arrived. (Start time not confirmed yet. Will update this listing when it’s official.)

Scala Gay Ball
The grande finale of Carnival! Located in the Scala nightclub with three sections, DJs, live samba, food and drinks. Doors open before midnight, but 1AM is a better time to arrive. Learn more info on the Scala Rio Gay Ball.

Hit the Bars!Every gay bar in Rio will be running some sort of promotion. If you choose to skip the Scala, you can still have a fun time. (And don’t forget, the gay saunas will be open for those looking for a different kind of fun before Ash Wednesday when Carnival is officially over.)